Threshing machine

ABSTRACT

A threshing machine in which pressure vibrator fingers are positioned beneath a conventional rotatable threshing cylinder for cooperation therewith to thresh grain. The fingers are mounted so that a rock coming in contact therewith will cause the fingers to move downwardly permitting the rock to fall to a lower conveyor without damage to the threshing machine. The fingers may be restored to threshing position by the actuation of a manually controlled lever from the operator&#39;&#39;s station.

[ Feb. 29, 1972 United States Patent Peruski 2,959,175 11/1960 Oberholtzet a1. ..................l30/27 .IT

[54] THRESHING MACHINE [72] Inventor: Henry C. Peruski, M-l9, Ubly,Mich.

Primary Examiner-Antonio F. Guida Attorney-Berman, Davidson & Berman[22] Filed: Apr. 7, 1970 ABSTRACT A threshing machine in which pressurevibrator fingers are [2]] Appl. No.:

positioned beneath a conventional rotatable threshing cylinder forcooperation therewith to thresh grain. The fingers are mounted so that arock coming in contact therewith will cause the fingers to movedownwardly permitting the rock to fall to a lower conveyor withoutdamageto the threshing machine. The fingers may be restored to threshingposition by n 7 7 u Q 7 m0 3 J [51] Int. Cl. [58] Field of ReferencesCited the actuation of a manually controlled lever from the operatorsstation.

UNlTED STATES PATENTS Krause................................l30/27 JTGoffnett JT 8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PAIENTEUFEB 29 I972 SHEET 1 UF4 HENRY C. PERUSKI,

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ATTORNEYS,

PAIENTEUFEB29 1912 3,645 269 SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG. 2.

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THRESIIING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to threshing machines of the typeutilizing a conventional rotatable threshing cylinder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The threshing machine of the instant inventionincorporates pressure vibrator fingers which are mounted beneath andcooperate with the threshing cylinder to thresh grain. The vibratorfingers are mounted so as to be released from threshing position topermit the passage of a rock thru the threshing machine without damagethereto. A manually controlled lever actuated by the operator isprovided for restoring the vibrator fingers to threshing position.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a rock release forthreshing machines to permit the passage of a rock therethrough withoutdamage to the machine.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of theinvention shown partially broken away and in section for convenience ofillustration;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG.1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section taken along the line 4--4of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the fingers inrock-releasing position;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the linkage;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a modified form ofthe invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken along the line8-8 of FIG. 7 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view of the structure illustrated inFIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modified form ofthe invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings indetail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughoutthe several figures the reference numeral indicates generally athreshing machine constructed in accordance with the invention.

The threshing machine 20 includes a frame 21 supported onground-engaging wheels 22 and having threshing cylinder 23 mounted forrotation on the frame 21. A grain conveyor generally indicated at 24 ispositioned to feed cut grain while being threshed by the threshingcylinder 23. The frame 21, wheels 22, threshing cylinder 23, grainconveyor 24, and concave 25 are all of conventional construction andsimilar structures may be seen in US. Pat. Nos. 3,209,760 and 3,215,145.

To install the pressure vibrator fingers generally indicated at 26 aportion of the conventional concave 25 immediately to the rear of theconveyor 24 are removed to allow space for the fingers 26.

The pressure vibrator finger system 26 includes a tubular shaft 27secured to a transversely extending angle iron 28 and joumaled bearings29 mounted on frame 21.

A square shaft 30 is mounted for rotation in tubular shaft 27 andextends substantially beyond the frame 21 at one side thereof. Thetubular shaft 27 has a pair of spaces 31 formed therein to receive apair of stub tubular shaft members 32. The stub tubular shaft members 32have square axial bores which fit the square shaft 30 to cause the shaftmembers 32 to turn LII with the square shaft 30. The tubular shaft 27rotates freely on the square shaft 30. A triangular bracket 33 issecured to the stub tubular shaft members 32 and a bracket arm 34 issecured to the center portion of the tubular shaft 27. Triangularbracket 33 and the bracket arm 34 are arranged in generally parallelrelation and in contact at their free ends.

A bolt 35 extends thru the triangular bracket 33 and thru the bracketarm 34 and carries a compression coil spring 36 thereon in engagementwith the bracket arm 34. A washer 37 and a nut 38 secure the bolt 35 inposition so that the triangular bracket 33 and the bracket arm 34 areheld by the spring 36 in contact with each other when at rest. Aplurality of generally straight fingers 39 are welded to the angle iron28 and extends in spaced parallel relation forwardly therefrom. An angleiron frmne 40 is secured to the stub shafts 32 and extends transverselyof the thresher 20 generally parallel to the angle iron 28. A pluralityof fingers 41 are welded to the angle iron frame 40 and extend forwardlytherefrom in spaced apart parallel relation. The fingers 41 have anupwardly offset forward end portion and are arranged intermediate thefingers 39 in spaced apart parallel relation thereto. A cover plate 42extends transversely of the thresher 20 and is secured to the angle ironframe 40 overlying the fingers 41 and in contact therewith.

A square shaft 43 extends transversely of the threshing machine 20 andis mounted for rotation in a pair of bearings 44 secured to the frame21. The shaft 43 is positioned substantially below and generallyparallel to the shaft 30. A bracket 45 is secured to one end of thesquare shaft 43 by means of a clamp plate 46 and an angle bracket 47 issecured to the bracket 45 by a bolt 48.

A pair of oppositely extending brackets 49, 50 are secured to the squareshaft 30 by volts 51, 52 respectively.

A bolt 53 is pivotally mounted in the rear end of the bracket 45 andextends upwardly thereon having a U-shaped nut member 54 threadedthereon. A U-shaped nut member 54 is mounted on a pin 55 carried by rearend of bracket 49. A tension coil spring 56 is mounted on a pin 57carried by the bracket 49 and extends downwardly therefrom. The lowerend of the spring 56 is secured to a bolt 58 adjustably secured to theangle bracket 47 at its lower end.

A bolt 59 is carried by the forward end of the bracket 50 and extendsdownwardly therefrom thru an apertured plate 60 secured to the frame 21.The bolt 59 has a pair of jam nuts 61 which limit the upward movement ofthe bolt 59 with respect to the plate 60 and a second pair of jam nuts62 which limit the downward movement of the bolt 59 with respect to theplate 60.

A bracket arm 63 is secured to the end of the square shaft 30 oppositethe bracket 49 and a tension coil spring 64 is secured thereto. Achannel bracket 65 is secured to the end of the square shaft 43 oppositethe bracket 45 and has an angle bracket 66 secured thereto by a bolt 67.A bolt 68 is secured to the lower end of the spring 64 and is adjustablysecured to the angle bracket 66 corresponding to bolt 58 and itsconnection to the angle bracket 47.

An arm 69 is mounted on the square shaft 43 to turn therewith. A lever70 is attached to the end of the arm 69 by a pivot bolt 71 so thatmovement of the lever 70 will move the arm 69 and rotate the squareshaft 43 in the bearings 44.

In the use and operation of the invention as illustrated in FIGS. 1 thru6 the pressure vibrator finger attachment generally indicated at 26 isnormally positioned as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 with the fingers 39,41 having their outer ends closely adjacent the threshing cylinder 23.Grain moving up the conveyor 24 passes between the vibrator fingers 39and 41 and the threshing cylinder 23 and as the threshing cylinder 23rotates the fingers 39, 41 vibrate due to the action of the threshingcylinder 23 on the grain and thus on the fingers 39, 41 so as to threshthe seed from the head of the stalks. The fingers 39, 41 may vibratewith respect to each other by compression of the spring 36 when thefingers 39 move down with respect to the fingers 41. By adjusting thenut 38 the fingers 39, 41 can be individually lowered or raised to suitthe threshing action to the needs of differing crops. The triangularbracket 33 and the bracket arm 34 will open scissor like, allowingpressure vibrator fingers 39 to drop flush with the fingers 41. The moredifficult the threshing the higher the fingers 39 with respect to thefingers 41.

An arm 72 is secured to the bracket 45 and carries an adjustable bolt 73in its terminal end for engagement with the part of the frame 21. Theheight of the fingers 39 and 41 with respect to the cylinder 23 may beadjusted by movement of the nut member 54 on the bolt 53 to raise orlower the bracket 49. The adjustable bolts 73 permit a fine adjustmentof the fingers 39, 41 without removing the nut member 54 from the pin55.

When a rock of the size that could damage the threshing machine 20 isdelivered by the conveyor 24 onto the fingers 39, 41 the fingers 39, 41are forced downwardly against the tension of the coil spring 56 and thecoil spring 64 and the bracket 45 and bolt 53 pass to an overhead centerposition so that the fingers 39, 41 remain in their lowered position topermit the rock to drop on to a conveyor 74 on a lower deck deck of thethreshing machine 20. The jam nut 62 on the bolt 59 prevent the fingers39, 41 from moving downwardly beyond the present distance. After therock has passed over the fingers 39, 41 the operator of the threshingmachine can manually actuate the lever 70 to rotate the arm 69 and thusthe square shaft 43 to reset the fingers 39, 41 to threshing positionwhere they are maintained in position by pressure of coil springs 56, 64until another rock is encountered. In FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 a modified formof the invention is illustrated wherein a round shaft 30' replaces thesquare shaft 30 and is joumaled in bearings 29 on the frame 21 of thethreshing machine generally located at 25. A bracket 49 is welded ontothe tubular stub shaft 32' and has a tension coil spring 56 secured tothe outer end thereof. A channel bracket 75 is secured to the squareshaft 43' by means of a tee bolt 76 which extends thru the square shaft43' and is pivotally connected to the lower end of the channel bracket75. An adjustable eye bolt 77 extends upwardly from the channel bracket75 and the lower end of the coil spring 56' is connected thereto. Theremaining structure of the modification illustrated in FlGS. 7 thru 9 isidentical to that of the preferred form of the invention and theoperation is identical to that of the preferred form of the invention asdescribed above.

In FIG. 10 another modified form of the invention is illustrated forreplacement of the fingers 41 for threshing clover.

The fingers 41 are mounted on the square shaft 30 of the preferred formof the invention in place of the fingers 41 and have a rubber mat 78supported on a cover 42 with the rubber mat 78 cooperating with thethreshing cylinder 23 when threshing clover.

The operation of the modification illustrated in FIG. 10 is identical tothe operation of the preferred form of the invention.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is: I

1. in a threshing machine of the type including a frame, a threshingcylinder mounted for rotation in said frame, and means for feeding grainto said threshing cylinder for threshing thereby, the improvementcomprising a plurality of spaced-apart parallel pressure vibratorfingers mounted in said frame for cooperation with said threshingcylinder to thresh grain passing therebetween, resilient releasablemeans for supporting said fingers in threshing position at the mountingend only of said fingers and hand-actuated means for returning saidfingers to threshing position.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fingers include two sesets of spaced-apart parallel fingers and means for mounting said setsof fingers for vibrator movement with resgiect to each other A device asclaimed in claim 1 wherein a rubber clover threshing mat is secured tosaid fingers and moves therewith.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a square shaft is joumaled forrotation with respect to said frame and said fingers are mounted on saidsquare shaft.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the resilient means supportingsaid fingers in threshing position with respect to said threshingcylinder includes adjustably mounted resilient springs.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on themeans mounting said fingers for limiting the movement of said fingerstoward said threshing cylinder and away from said threshing cylinder.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said last named means isadjustable.

8. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means mounting said setsof fingers for vibratory movement with respect to each other includes amanually adjustable coil spring mounting.

1. In a threshing machine of the type including a frame, a threshingcylinder mounted for rotation in said frame, and means for feeding grainto said threshing cylinder for threshing thereby, the improvementcomprising a plurality of spaced-apart parallel pressure vibratorfingers mounted in said frame for cooperation with said threshingcylinder to thresh grain passing therebetween, resilient releasablemeans for supporting said fingers in threshing position at the mountingend only of said fingers and hand-actuated means for returning saidfingers to threshing position.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 whereinsaid fingers include two se sets of spaced-apart parallel fingers andmeans for mounting said sets of fingers for vibrator movement withrespect to each other.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein arubber clover threshing mat is secured to said fingers and movestherewith.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a square shaft isjournaled for rotation with respect to said frame and said fingers aremounted on said square shaft.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe resilient means supporting said fingers in threshing position withrespect to said threshing cylinder includes adjustably mounted resilientsprings.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided onthe means mounting said fingers for limiting the movement of saidfingers toward said threshing cylinder and away from said threshingcylinder.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said last namedmeans is adjustable.
 8. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the meansmounting said sets of fingers for vibratory movement with respect toeach other includes a manually adjustable coil spring mounting.